Sfn Announces 2010 Election Results Spotlight on Neuroscience
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Spotlight on Neuroscience Education “Since science has become and Training of such importance in society, Education and training in neuroscience — like neuroscience itself — reflects an scientists should become more ever-changing landscape of challenges and opportunities in funding, recruitment, curricula development, and program models. To discuss emerging trends and topics engaged in public life and in affecting neuroscience education, nearly 80 chairs, directors, faculty, and students turn their role should from graduate and undergraduate neuroscience departments and programs across the United States came together on March 26 in Washington, DC. be acknowledged by society at large.” This year’s annual spring conference, The Future of Higher Education and Training in Neuroscience: Challenges and Opportunities, was the first since SfN’s consolidation with the Association of Neuroscience Departments and Programs (ANDP) in 2009 and was organized by SfN’s Committee on Neuroscience Departments and Programs (CNDP). — Rita Levi-Montalcini, The conference offered ample opportunity for interactive discussion and participation, Neurologist and Nobel Laureate and received overwhelmingly positive feedback from participants. KEYN O TE SPEA K ER O N SCIENTIFIC WO R K F O RCE Richard Freeman, economics professor at Harvard University and American Association for the Advancement of Science fellow, opened the conference with a keynote address. IN THIS ISSUE Freeman spoke about the globalization of higher education and implications for graduate programs in science, engineering, and the scientific workforce. Spotlight on Neuroscience Continued on page 10 … Education and Training ........................................ 1 SfN Announces 2010 Election Results .................. 1 SfN Announces 2010 Election Results Message from the President ................................ 2 Supplemental Data Policy Change ....................... 3 The Society congratulates its newly elected officers and councilors. Chosen by members using an independent online monitoring company, the incoming Council members Q&A: Sharing Insight and Vision .......................... 4 begin their terms at Neuroscience 2010 in San Diego. For the first time in the Society’s Council Round-Up: Spring 2010 Meeting............. 5 history, an international member was selected to serve as a councilor, an event made possible by a policy change approved by SfN Council last year. Inside Science: Neurobiology of Social Interaction ................................................. 6 The membership elected Moses Chao, New York University, as the incoming presi- Engaging Legislators in the Lab ........................... 8 dent-elect; Darwin Berg, University of California, San Diego, as the incoming treasur- er-elect; and Hollis Cline, The Scripps Research Institute, as incoming secretary-elect. SfN President Testifies Before Congress ............... 9 The elected incoming-councilors are: Nancy Ip, Hong Kong University of Science and SfN Promotes Equity and Diversity in Academia ... 12 Technology; John Morrison, Mount Sinai School of Medicine; Sacha Nelson, Brandeis University; and Marina Picciotto, Yale University. Neuroscience 2010 Preview ............................... 14 OFFICERS Moses Chao is a professor of Cell Biology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, and professor of Psychiatry at the New York University School of Medicine. He also serves as an Associate of the Center of Neural Science at New York University. His past involvement at the Society includes serving as secretary, chair of the Committee on Committees, senior editor of The Journal of Neuroscience, and chair of the Program Committee. Continued on page 9 … Message from the President From Molecules to Mind 2 In the 18th century, Alexander Pope The series will begin with Martin Chalfie, who shares the proposed the “proper study of mankind 2008 Nobel Prize in Chemistry on research developing the is man.” In the 19th century, Charles green fluorescent protein (GFP), which literally shed light Darwin believed the way to under- on inner workings of individual and group cells. This basic stand man was to look to the baboon. cellular research has made previously invisible processes, Today, the quest to understand the such as the development of nerve cells in the brain or how physical basis of human nature has cancer cells spread, visible. He will speak about his latest cumulated in the field of neurosci- animal research identifying genes important for the devel- Michael E. Goldberg, ence — uniting and extending the opment and function of touch-sensing cells. SfN President principles of Pope and Darwin through research techniques using single cells Moving from cells to neural interactions, Okihide Hikosaka and organisms, and animal models and humans. will discuss his research showing that neuronal activity is de- termined not only by what a monkey sees or does, but also by The breadth and reach of neuroscience — from molecules whether its behavior anticipates a reward. His work demon- to the mind — is exemplified by the kind of science that will strates the importance motivation plays in neuronal activity. be presented at Neuroscience 2010 in San Diego, the 40th annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience. Based on the The third speaker in the series is Pawan Sinha, whose number of abstracts submitted (a near-record 16,506), we will research focuses on how the brain learns to see. His work once again host an extraordinary gathering full of the inquiry, is influenced by the research of Hubel and Wiesel, who debate, learning, and public engagement that has come to showed that an “unused” eye stops seeing not because of typify our meeting. I look forward to seeing you there! physical defects, but because of impaired connections to the brain. By taking into account these findings, Sinha A QUEST F O R ANS W ERS works to provide sight to congenitally blind children and For me, the meeting is always a remarkable reminder of the researches how the brain processes sight. myriad approaches and passions that scientists bring to their investigation. For some, it is relentless pursuit of a solution Closing the series, Helen Mayberg’s work in treating depres- to a particular disease or an investigation into a potential sion through deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subgenual therapy that could give hope to patients. It gives me great cingulate cortex exemplifies how basic research can inform confidence, as a physician and clinician, that these discus- not only clinical practice, but also create a new paradigm of sions will again be explored and pursued in San Diego. thought. As a DBS pioneer, her work is shifting how we think about depression: it is not merely a chemical imbal- Significantly, these investigative paths often originate ance in the brain, but arises from the dysfunction of specific from another timeless question for many scientists, that brain circuits and networks. Other psychiatric diseases also of pure intellectual pursuit. It is the kind of inquiry that may be network and not purely chemical disorders. begins with the question: I wonder why? The quest for answers is a long journey, full of unexpected discoveries Each of these researchers epitomizes the remarkable prom- and, at times, sweeping breakthroughs in understanding ise and scope of neuroscience, and our endless pursuit of or clinical applications. Just as Columbus — in speculating understanding how the brain works, how it develops, what there was an easier route to India — accidently discovered is its chemistry, and how broken brains can be fixed. a new world, as scientists, our questions, our answers, and even our failures can have great effect. There are, of course, still many questions left to be an- swered. Those answers — and more questions — will come Consider, for example, the four speakers in Neuroscience from you. It is exciting to imagine the discussions and dia- 2010’s Presidential Special Lecture Series, “From Molecules to logues that will unfold in San Diego this year, and we hope Mind.” Their research highlights how the study of the brain you will add your voice to this irreplaceable annual event. at the molecular or structural level informs basic neurosci- ence. In each case, basic and clinical research is bridging the ANS W ERING THE CALL gap between the unseen and the seen, often creating new These voices must not stay only within the confines of therapies but always influencing understanding. the annual meeting or the field’s journals. Without public outreach, science as a whole will suffer. To that end, we and effectively engage our representatives (see page 8 are fortunate to have actress and advocate Glenn Close at for SfN’s new lab tour toolkit), and we are eager to this year’s “Dialogues Between Neuroscience and Society,” work with the national neuroscience societies of our speaking about ending the stigma of mental illness. Close non-American members to achieve the same goals, so 3 is no stranger to the struggles of mental illness: her nephew that the people and legislatures of every country with was diagnosed with schizo-affective disorder and her sister members of the Society for Neuroscience can learn the was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. As a co-creator of importance of supporting science. It is essential to reach BringChange2Mind.org, she is challenging society to erase out throughout the year to build and maintain strong the stigma surrounding mental illness, to realize that men- relationships with elected officials. Getting our